McDermott Group installs life-saving defibrillator at SBHA headquarters
A new defibrillator has been installed at Scottish Borders Housing Association’s Head Office in Selkirk, thanks to McDermott Group.
McDermott Group provided and installed the equipment as part of its community benefit commitment, creating a valuable additional resource at the Whinfield Road office. Located externally, it is available to anyone in the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is registered on the national defibrillator database, so emergency services know exactly where it is.
Defibrillators can provide vital support when someone experiences a cardiac arrest. The equipment is designed to be straightforward to use, with clear voice instructions and visual prompts guiding people safely through each step.
Caroline Purcell, Director of Property Services at SBHA, said: “We’re very grateful to McDermott Group for providing this important piece of life-saving equipment as part of their community benefit commitment. While we hope it will never be needed, its location at our headquarters offers added reassurance to our team, visitors and the wider community.”
A defibrillator or AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is a medical device which can restart the heart should it fail and restore it to a normal rhythm.
There is a 50-70% chance of survival if a defibrillator is used in the first 3-5 minutes of a cardiac arrest compared to 9-11% giving CPR only.
(L-r) Electrician Cameron Eaton and apprentice Harvey Aitken from Easy Heat /Devine Energy, SBHA’s Director of Property Services Caroline Purcull, and Senior Asset Planning Manager Gary Miller.